Gibraltar Mountain Wilderness, Az

 I met another hiker along the way. I raced him to the top but he had no chance with those stubby legs.

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• For GIERS MOUNTAIN el 1888, take highway 95 north from Parker to a gas station on the right at mp 155.6. There is an RV enclosure to the right of the station. Drive around it on the right to get behind it on a 4wd road. In a quarter mile is a bad spot el 450, but a good loop hike can be done from there. There are two ways to start out. The first is to walk up the main road, keeping right at any tricky forks. The last parking spot in case you're driving is at a fork reading  N34 14175, W114 08835 el 850. Hike the left fork up a wash for a fifth mile to the pass el 1000. The second and more interesting way to start is to walk the road 700 feet past the bad spot then go up a foot trail el 550 on the left. Follow that until it fades at a large wash then follow the easiest ground to a game trail on a ridge at 14655, 08969 el 700. It's easiest to stay low on the right side of that ridge for the last tenth mile to the trail. That trail goes shortly to a crag then veers right thru a saddle where roads are in view. Drop down to the main wash and go up a jeep trail in the bed and it will merge with the main road right next to the last parking spot mentioned above and then walk to the pass. From the pass, walk the ridgetop on a game trail toward the peak. Go left of a fin on the game trail then soon it puts you back on the ridgetop. Go on up and keep left around any cliffs but never go right. The last cliff band has a break at 13994, 08321 el 1700. It's class 3 and 8 feet high but not too difficult. Then it's a stroll to the reg at 14108, 08178. On the return, go back the same way to the fin then head straight down to a trail at 14056, 08621 el 1000. It soon goes thru a saddle then fades, but it's easy to walk down to a mine trail on the right bank at 14485, 08692 el 750. Follow the trail and it dumps you back into the easy wash. I went on down and to 15106, 08827 el 450 where some paint is on the right wall. On the left opposite the paint is a gully that goes shortly up to the road at the bad spot. Or you can stay in the wash to the gas station. It's much nicer returning in the wash, which is easy to see from the summit area.  3 and a half hours, less than 2000 gain if starting at the bad spot in the road.  2 hours, 1000 gain from the last parking spot. A couple hundred feet near the summit is very steep. A mine tunnel is on the way in at 14804, 08920 el 550.  Posted 2018.
• PEAK 2113 via Giers Wash - a loop can be done up the main wash and over the highest peak in the wilderness then return in the west fork. Take highway 95 to mp 156.7 and park at a day use sign on the river side of the highway. Walk across the highway to a dirt road running north a tenth mile into Giers Wash. The correct creekbed is on the south side of a housing community running along a concrete wall, but its posted. Use the rim along the south side of the creekbed which the BLM map clearly shows to be public. It adds 100 feet of gain each way. To get on it, go up a trail at N34 15544, W114 07391 el 450 then stay on the high ground for nearly half a mile then drop down to the main creekbed. I had to go left near the bottom to find an easy spot for the last bit. Then just follow power lines up the main canyon to where it tops out at The Jumpoff el 1550. An unused road runs along the banks of the canyon but the wash works better. Once on top, follow the road to a side canyon at 13104, 05471 el 1500. I went up the rocky south rim but it has a hidden dip with class 3. The canyon looked better. Just go up and stay right at a fork and top out at the NW saddle at 12830, 05990 el 1900. The go up to a cliff band and walk around the right side to get up to the reg. Then return to the NW saddle and go up the other side and stay slightly right of center to skirt a minor peak. The go north on a broad ridge to a stairway at 13245, 06185 el 1900. Drop down and angle to the right to a saddle el 1650 then use a sheep trail along the right of crags. Just past the crags, drop left at 13488, 06219 el 1550 into a drainage where the only route down that isn't blocked is an easy gully at 13576, 06323 el 1300. That gully leads into the main wash of the west fork then it's a stroll back to the start. That took 6 hours with nearly 2000 gain, not steep. I wasted nearly an hour looking for routes. The reg is at 12801,05899. The west fork is the best canyon in the whole wilderness. The main fork is good but the lines are an eyesore. An ATV made it thru the main fork, but must have had a key for a gate at The Jumpoff. Posted 2020.
• GIERS WASH LOOP - an easy hike across the north end of the wilderness starts up the west fork of Giers Wash then out in the main wash on the south side of Giers Mountain. Take highway 95 to mp 153.8 and turn at the sign for Resort Rd. Drive down to a T and leave a car there. Then drive to mp 156.7 and park at a day use sign on the river side of the highway. Walk across the highway to a dirt road running north a tenth mile into Giers Wash. The correct creekbed is on the south side of a housing community running along a concrete wall, but its posted. Use the rim along the south side of the creekbed which the BLM map clearly shows to be public. To get on it, go up a trail at N34 15544, W114 07391 el 450 then stay on the high ground for nearly half a mile then drop down to the main creekbed. I had to go left near the bottom to find an easy spot for the last bit. Then go up to a main fork at 15338, 06867 el 550. Go right and soon a minor fall blocks the locals. But it's easy to bypass then go on up the main wash to 13894, 06845 el 950 on the right bank. From there, a saddle el 1250 can be seen a half mile to the south on the west rim of the canyon. Walk toward it and a drainage angles up to the right into it with a game trail on the left bank. Walk down the creekbed on the other side and get on the left bank at 13277, 07172 el 1100 to pass a short rough section. Keep going down that same wash to a side canyon on the right at 13669, 09071 el 750. Go up that and it bends left past a mine and on to a saddle el 850 where cairns mark a route down to the right to get into the creekbed. The creekbed soon smooths out and it's an easy stroll on out to Resort Rd. That took nearly 4 hours with 2 or 300 feet of noticeable gain. Hikers like lists so someday I'll compile a list of best wuss hikes and this will be near the top. The first saddle is at 13479, 07012 and the last is at 13852, 09148. Posted 2020.
• SPRING MOUNTAIN el 1900 is what I call the next peak east of Giers Mtn. Park along highway 95 at mp 156.3. The fence has a hiker's gap at some fat wooden posts. Hike to a main wash at N34 15093, W114 08147. There is a pipe spring where I filled up about 10 more minutes up the wash. Keep going to a main fork where the peak can be seen. Go left about 800 feet to another fork reading 14353, 07678. Go up the right one, using the right bank. When the bank fizzles, cross over to the left and walk a sheep route at the base of cliffs to get around a little fall. Keep going to the main saddle el 1300. Now a little bump is in the way. Use a trail to go around the right side of it then get up on the ridge top and walk a short way to the final slope. It's not as loose as it looks. Move right to a wide gully at 14223, 07359 and go straight up that on the right side. Go almost up to the final cliff band then angle to the right and top out at 14222, 07272 el 1850. I left some ducks along here to get thru the cholla. It's a short stroll to the spot where the reg would be if there was one. 4 hours, 1500 gain. I tried coming down the fork with bright cliffs but it had a fall. It didn't look hard to walk over to Giers Mtn and walk around the south side to get to the route up. Posted 2015.
• GRAY EAGLE PEAKS el 1926 is what I call the twin summits south of Giers Mountain. Drive north from Parker to mp 149.4 and turn at the sign for Cienega Springs Rd. Stay on the widest road for 3.2 bumpy miles to a kiosk then go left on the Gray Eagle Mine road. It's easy 4wd and firm enough for mtn bikes but dippy. Go a bit over 2 and a half miles on that road to another kiosk then go left a quarter mile to the last parking spot before the road turns bad just before a divide. The reading there is N34 12972, W114 08879 el 900. Walk the road on past the divide to a trail at 13091, 08495 el 950. It goes a tenth mile then right up to a mine then on up to the rim el 1400. Then just walk east up the rim to the west summit at 12363, 07095. The rim can be walked all the way to peak 2113 but I made a shorter loop by dropping off the rim at 12451, 06810 el 1650 then angled down to the right to get into the north side canyon. I walked that down and cut thru a gap at 13436, 08436 el 900 to get back on the starting road. That took 4 hours with about 1000 gain and not strenuous. The canyon is the major attraction here. That's a top notch hike in an unspoiled area. I should have thought of it sooner. The road goes on north past Giers Mtn to the highway at mp 155.6, but the worst spot is a quarter mile before the highway. I saw jeeps go up and down it. Posted 2018, 2022.
• EAGLES NEST MINE, CARNATION MINE - this area is infested with mines and trails. A chunk of private land with a popular bar and grill sits between the two mines, but a loop can be done around it. It should only be done on winter weekends when the bar is open. See thedesertbar.com. Drive north from Parker to mp 149.4 and turn at the sign for Cienega Springs Rd. Stay on the widest road for 4.5 bumpy miles to a kiosk el 800 at a fork and park, just before the bar. Walk the left fork in a wash and stay on the lowest road to the first trail at N34 12442, W114 08990 el 900. Walk that up to a rock house ruins and the second trail is 150 feet past that on the left at 12553, 08831 el 1100. Follow that trail up past the Eagles Nest Mine then thru a saddle el 1350 then down to a spaghetti bowl of mine trails. For what I call the Cliff Mine, follow a faint trail to 12889, 08441 el 1400 where a trail goes along a cliff base for a tenth mile to the mine. Then retrace back to the spaghetti bowl. There's a trail from there that goes shortly to a tunnel at 12639, 08399 el 1350. The trail ends another 200 feet at another tunnel that might connect to the first one. From there, a trail can be seen climbing up the slope 300 feet to the west. Walk that to a fork at 12516, 08504 el 1300. The high trail goes on to a road that runs down the rim to the bar. Or walk the lower trail down to cabin ruins at the creekbed. Follow that trail downstream to where it exits up the right rim, but stay in the creekbed on down canyon to where it opens up then shortly you're at the bar. The Carnation Mine can be seen from there. After a beer, walk a road up to the mine and get on a trail behind it at 11892, 08795 el 1050 that goes up to a tunnel el 1150. Then it's easy to walk west on a rim below the tunnel to a plateau then go to a drainage at 11894, 09238 el 1100 that goes back down to the start. 3 hours and maybe 1000 easy gain.Walking directly back from the bar makes for a 2 hour hike. Start at 10 AM or later to avoid arriving at the bar before it opens at noon. Posted 2018, 2022.
• One access for the wilderness is an OHV area off Shea Road. Take 95 south from Parker and turn left at the sign for Shea Rd. Go several miles on pavement then turn left onto a 4wd road at N34 07823, W114 10025 that goes to Mammon Mine. Drive the 4wd road for a couple miles on the flats and it bends left to the main wash and then cross to a better road on the far side at 09072, 09565. Head NE on easy 4wd for 2 miles and park at the wilderness boundary el 900. GIBRALTAR MTN at 10061, 07442 el 1500 can be climbed from here. Just walk around the right side and up a draw. Come down the west ridge. 1 hour. The best hike is PEAK 1983. Hike the main wash past Gibraltar to a canyon at 09296, 06715. Get on the left bench and go on up to a unique guzzler at 08644, 06652 in a recess and some potholes in bedrock. Go on up the right fork to the peak and reg at 08357, 06620 el 1983. A cave about 400 feet down the north ridge from the summit has a hole in the top you can come down thru on the way back. Some bighorn remains are there. 3 hrs, 1000 gain. Posted 2018.
• PEAK 1635 is outside the wilderness near the Carnation Mine. The easy south ridge can be used for a loop. Take 95 south from Parker and turn left at the sign for Shea Rd. Go several miles on pavement then turn left onto a 4wd road at N34 07823, W114 10025 that goes to Mammon Mine. Drive the 4wd road for a couple miles on the flats and it bends left to the main wash and then cross to another road on the far side at 09072, 09565. Head NE on easy 4wd for about a mile to a main wash then turn up that. Drive 1.2 miles up that then start walking up a left fork at 10157, 08173 el 850 or use the right bank. Go on up canyon to 10740, 08341 where the left bank works for a stretch. Get on the left bank again at 10913, 08283 then go bank to bank for a while. The next good bank to bank is at 11442, 08173 starting on the left. Keep going up the easy canyon to near the main saddle el 1400 then go up the right slope and circle back to the summit at 11899, 07981. Then go down the easy south ridge for nearly half a mile where it splits. Stay right and soon comes another split then stay left there. Now just follow the main ridge on down and don't take any ridges going off to the left. At the end of the ridge is a smoother slope to the left that makes it easy, but it's obvious. It's only 5 or 10 minutes back to the start. 3 hours with about 200 feet of noticeable gain and it's easy. I expected to be stumbling on rocks down the south ridge but they are mostly dispersed and with some pavement. This a top notch wuss hike, best done when flowers are out in Feb or March. I'll do this when I'm 100. PEAK 1384 is nearby. An easy route goes up the south ridge then back in the west canyon. Drive the same as peak 1635 to the road at 09072, 09565 then go a third mile NE up the road. Then walk up the ridge on the left side of the road. It goes up parallel to the road at first then bends left and rocks thin out. At 10466, 09017 el 1250 there is a trail running left of center that helps. The summit is at 10703, 08810. Then go NW along a divide to a smooth ridge at 10766, 09208 el 1200. Go south and the ridge splits, stay left to an obvious descent route on the right at 10468, 09262 el 1100. It's easy to go on down canyon but it doesn't pay to use the high banks until 10125, 09474 el 900. Once on the flats it's half a mile back to the start. I stumbled on an Indian trail at 09386, 09450. 2 and a half hours, 600 gain and all easy. Posted 2020.
• PEAK 1464 sits alongside Shea Rd and makes an easy hike. It's rocky, but you can usually step between rocks. Leave a car or bike at mp 1 then drive to mp 3 and start walking to the obvious saddle el 1000 on the long, south ridge. Then it's easy up to the reg at N34 07762, W114 11093. Keep walking the main ridge north toward a ranch then drop down to a camp with some old cans at 08232, 11759 el 900. Try and figure that one out. It's a short hike on to mp 1. Figure on 2 hours for the hiking part. Posted 2018.
• BLACK TANK INDIAN TRAIL is 2 and a half miles long in the southern part of the wilderness. Take Shea Rd to mp 8.2 and leave a bike then drive to mp 9.2 and start hiking to the faint trail at N34 07585, W114 04647. Go on to 07636, 04746 then 07666, 04799 and then the trail goes a short way into the canyon where the tank is shown on the map at a minor fall reading 08169, 04975. There was no sign of water in modern times. Retrace back out of the canyon then get on a trail at 07813, 04969 then 07580, 05082 then 07382, 05279 then mp 8.2. That's an easy hike taking 1 or 2 hours. This trail likely connected the Bill Williams River to villages near Parker. Posted 2018.
• PEAK 1787 has an easy SE ridge then a loop back by way of peak 1611 is easy. Take Shea Rd to mp 9.2 and park where a graded road branches left. Walk north a few feet to get on the SE ridge and keep going up to the surveyor junk on the summit at N34 09196, W114 05385. Stay slightly left of center a quarter mile before the summit to skirt a minor bump. Then retrace back down until the saddle el 1500 connecting to peak 1611 is in view. Go across and up to the peak then down the NW ridge to 08353, 05474 el 1400 where bedrock leads down to the flats. Then circle left to an overgrowing road and follow it out along a wash. Get on the left bank at 07713, 05610 el 1000 and follow the lowest ground back to the start. 3 and a half hours, 1000 gain, all easy. The SE ridge starts at 07623, 04534 el 1050 and peak 1611 is at 08226, 05378. Posted 2020.
• PLANET PEAK el 3139 is a dominant peak in the area with quite good views. A mine trail goes up the south ridge to el 2400. Take Shea Rd to mp 9.2 then turn on a graded road. Go 4 miles to the CAP then keep going another 1.4 miles to a fence. Turn there on easy 4wd for 3.8 miles to a fork then keep right for nearly half a mile to the end el 2000. Walk a few more feet to the mine trail and it goes to a mine el 2300 and seems to fade, but stay on the same trajectory past the mine a few feet and the trail appears again and goes up to the south ridge el 2400. Then go up the ridge to the reg at N34 10034, W114 58901. It had a USGS sheet saying the el is 3139. 2 hours, 1200 gain. Mtn bikes could make all but the last mile of road. Posted 2018.
                           

                                         

For the HIGHEST PEAK,  take Shea past mp 13 then past the CAP then go left to a kiosk. Follow the 4wd road along the canal then the power lines. The high peak of the Gibraltar Wilderness is half a mile off the road at N34 12799, W114 05900 el 2120. Easy hike. The Jumpoff is just past the peak. The road goes down to the river but is closed.

Black Tank Indian trail

Cliff Mine

Desert garden on the west rim of the Gray Eagle Peaks

Giers Mtn and Spring Mtn

Carnation Mine and the Desert Bar

Saddle Mountain, Az

                                East Crag                                                                        

• For the SADDLE MOUNTAIN TRAIL, use the paved Courthouse Road on the north side of the mountain. Go to mp 14.2 and turn south on a primitive road at a kiosk. Some cars can make this road to the end in a mile. Good camp spot. The trail leaves the south end of the parking area. Soon there is a fork, keep right. It climbs to a notch then jogs right to avoid some little cliffs. Soon it gets steeper then levels off some near the peak N33 26388, W113 02409 el 3000+. 3 hours, 1600 gain.
• For the seemingly impregnable EAST CRAG, take the 4wd road into the saddle SE of the Saddle Mtn TH. Drive back from the TH and take the first right and keep right at all forks to the saddle. Hike a trail south from the saddle to a higher saddle then go left to the crag. Go up a chute at N33 26406, W113 01591 and on up the easy spine. About half way up it gets trickier. Move left a little then near the top look for a chute at 3 o'clock. The whole thing is only class 3. On the return I never had to back down. I ducked the route. Less than 2 hrs round trip from the road. Take a hand line. NOT FOR BEGINNERS.
• The best SOUTH SUMMIT route is from the NW. Go to mp 12.6 on Courthouse Road and take a crude road at a kiosk. Go about a mile and a half to a fence. Go thru the fence then go left for nearly a mile to the end of the road. Hike thru a saddle at N33 26088, W113 02890 then go on to a steep drainage at 25808, 02714. Go up staying mostly on the right side to avoid the rough stuff. Aim for the break in the cliffs at 25724, 02512 then keep left thru the break to avoid brush. Once in the open, circle up to the left to get to the reg at 25672, 02332 el 2800. 3 hours.

New Water Mountains

                 Hidden Dome is far left, West Dome is left of Eagles Eye.

                                                Twin Peaks

• The graded Ramsey Mine Road is the main access. It goes south from highway 60 at mp 34.3 just west of Brenda. It's graded for over a mile south of I-10 with RV pullouts along the way. Brenda has a store but no gas. Posted 2021.
• NEW WATER MOUNTAINS HIGH POINT el 2839 - the ridge from the NW saddle is the only decent route. South slopes are well defended by cholla and cliffs. It would be a 4 mile walk from the gas road to the south. I went in from the north for a shorter but steeper hike. Get off I-10 at exit 31 and east on highway 60 to the graded Ramsey Mine Rd. Go south over the interstate then turn east and go along the freeway for 5 miles on an easy 4wd road to a 4 way. Turn south for a tenth mile then go left on road #47F and stay left at forks to road #50F at N33 34754, W113 51631. Park at the end of #50F el 1700.  One tricky spot is near the end of the road but close enough to the peak to park there if preferred.  Go up canyon to the obvious rubble slope to the right of the NW saddle. At 34047, 52074 el 2300+, cut left on a sheep trail next to a tiny cave. It goes up and down a little to 34021, 52026 where it's easy to switch back into the NW saddle el 2450. Sheep trails go up the ridge thru dense cholla. At 33971, 51936 el 2650, be on the center of the ridge. Then skirt right of 2 minor bumps then get back on center for the last tenth mile. The summit block has a 5 foot long knife edge about 2 feet wide. A fall to the left would be fatal and to the right would be 10 feet. A 10 foot class 4 chute bypasses the knife edge. 8 feet of etriers and a hook would get hikers up that with a max exposure of 10 feet. The east end of the summit block looked worse. The reg at 33919, 51804 was placed by Vitz in 1987 and needs a jar and book. Nobody came back a second time and I won't either. Drive out the same way as the road going east gets nasty. All roads mtn bikeable. 3  hours, 1200 gain. Posted 2021.
• TWIN PEAKS -Get off I-10 at exit 31 and east on 60 to the graded Ramsey Mine Rd. Go south over the interstate then turn east and go along the freeway for 5 miles on a primitive road to a 4 way. Go south into a main wash in the mountains. At N33 36683, W113 55289 turn right then keep left thereafter and park near a draw which is at 36174,55871. Go on up the draw to a break in the cliffband at 36002,56097. Sheep use a narrow ledge here to get thru. I went up to the next level then up to the high cliffs where a narrow ledge goes left toward the main saddle then maybe a route on up to the west peak. It got too skimpy so I chickened out. Heavy sheep traffic here.Another way to drive in is to get off I-10 at the Vicksburg exit. Go south a couple miles then west on a gas road for 7 and a half miles to the 4 way. Not a rough road but a million dips.
• For EAGLES EYE, stay in the main wash as described above. The wash curves left then a cable marks the wilderness boundary. Hike up the smooth wash for a mile to potholes in a side canyon at N33 35224, W113 54572 el 2000. Climb past those and up that fork for a fifth mile to Hidden Tank in a slot at 35348, 54499 el 2150. It's not where the map shows it. Get around the tank on the left and aim for Eagles Eye at 35676, 54272. Approach it from the right. 3 hours.  Another route is to get on a jeep road at 35957, 55253 and go nearly a mile to a very steep grade just before the crest about a half mile from the Eye. Don't go up the grade, instead get on a shelf atop the first cliff band at 35850, 54504. Walk along the cliff top until you can get up to the high cliff at 35756, 54445. Go left around the corner and use a game trail at the base of the cliff. Stay at that level until a gully under the Eye lets you up. It takes a half hour to get there. The tank had a lot of water in a long dry spell in March 2021.
• A good loop to HIDDEN BENCHMARK can be done using the same jeep road as above at 35957, 55253. Hike or drive a mile up the road to the crest where the domes and Eagles Eye can be seen. The plan is to walk the wide shelf below cliffs all the way to Hidden BM then return along the crest. The shelf is just below the level of the road. From the end of the road, drop down a draw a short way and get on a spotty game trail that goes down to the shelf below at 35862, 54450. Walk at that level below the north facing cliff bands. Stay on the shelf to 35725,  where the peak comes into view. Drop down a little then angle up to a ridge at 35556, 53829 where the route thru the cliffs can be seen. Go up nearly to the base of the peak then go right around it and drop some to a natural stairway to get up the last cliff band. The summit with reg and BM is at 35442, 53608. Go back down and get on the flat crest and head west for West Dome. A convenient class 3 chute gets you down to the saddle at the base of the dome. Then you can go up a chute to the top of the dome. It's no more than class 2 except for one class 4 move that's 8 feet high. I stemmed up it then used an 8 foot handline with ibis hook to come back down. No sign of humanity on top. Come back down to the saddle and go south down the drainage all the way to Hidden Tank. Go around to the right to get past the tank then go out the main wash back to the start. Or you can go back from West Dome via Eagles Eye. On the way down from the saddle toward Hidden Tank, veer right on a shelf at 35457,54060. Walk at that level to a saddle at 35642, 54223 then it's a short way to the Eye. Go north down from the Eye below the first cliff band then walk a trail at the base of the cliff. When the cliff ends you can drop left back to with a good stick. Somelight brush but cacti not an issue until the summit area. OTHER LOOPS - in 2021 I walked up the jeep road to the end next to peak 2244 and on to Hidden BM then down the long SE ridge and returned by way of Hidden Tank but I forgot it's not where the maps shows it and wasted time. I should have circled south on easier ground.  It's going to be a 5 hour hike. The class 3 route thru the cliffs at Hidden BM is at 35343, 53663.
• AIRWAY BEACON PEAK el 2540 was a part of the network to guide mail planes in the 1920's. An easy loop can be done. Take the Ramsey Mine Rd for a mile and a half south of I-10 to a sign for the end of county maintenance. Go left and stay on the main road for another mile and a half to a fork at a foundation. Go right to a fork in a deep wash at N33 37084, W113 57897. Both go, but left is smoother once you get out of the wash. It goes to another major wash that can be followed to the wilderness boundary next to peak 2019, but the road on the left bank is smoother. Walk on up the main wash to a fall then go left around it to get back on the road on top. Walk it to the summit. OHVs go to el 2350 then the road is a goner. The beacon pole on top has been cut down. I saw some cleared circles at 34817, 57433 el 2500. I kept going south on the main ridge thru dispersed rocks and cholla. I tried to stay on the main ridge but it's too rocky so I dropped down a ridge at 34610, 57233 el 2450. I went down to bright rock then down into a canyon at 34550, 56934 el 2150 then to a main wash at 34600, 56640 el 2000. I went a fifth mile up that to a main fork then up the left fork. The right bank works for a while then it's better to stay in the wash. I aimed for a smooth strip at 35501, 57002 el 2100 that led a few feet to a rim where I went down a canyon on a sheep trail. At 35817, 57397 el 1950, I exited the canyon to get back to the start. 3 hours, 500 noticeable gain. This is a wuss hike with good scenery. Posted 2021.
• BEAR HILLS HIGH POINT el 2188 is SE of Brenda. Take highway 60 to mp   just west of town and go south on the graded Ramsey Mine Rd to the I-10 overpass. Go left there along the freeway on easy 4wd to the base of the mountain and pick a route up. I went up a ridge at N33 39707, W113 55101  el 1500. I saw some cleared rings, the most notable at 39838, 55043 el 1650. The reg is at 40059, 54620. It needs a book. 3 hours, 800 gain. Rocky but stable, not steep. All roads are mtn bikeable. Posted 2021.

  

  Road numbers are all wrong

  
  

  

  Hidden Tank

  
  
  
  
  

  

  Lonely glyph on the flats

  
  

  

  Rock circles and the high peak

  
  

Eagletail Mountains Petroglyphs, Az

Eagletail Mountains, Az

                                           Eagletail Peak                                                     

• EAGLETAIL PEAK has an interesting class 3 route thru the south cliffs. Use the paved Harquahala Valley Road east of the range from exit 81 on I-10. Go south to a T at Baseline Road. Go right to the end of pavement at 547 Ave. Go left for a mile and a third to a corral. Go right thru a gate for a mile then go right on a high clearance road for 2 miles to the end. Hike the trail thru a major gap to N33 22665, W113 17922. Now keep going and choose your own spot to leave the trail and pick your route across the flats to get to a saddle at 23599, 18455. The longer you stay on the trail the fewer gullies to cross. Go thru the saddle then down along the left side of a draw to get to the flats at the base of the peak. Go up a ridge at 24004, 18537 then move left into a gully when forced to. Aim for the first cliff band at 24193, 18383 at the head of the gully. Then go right on a wide shelf. It drops a little at first then angles up. Soon you come to some little tricky climbs. Swing wide right to pass them on an easy ledge. Then the terrain takes you up to the left. Don't go too high and aim for a shelf at 24225, 18346. Walk the shelf around the corner and you meet the standard route on the crest. Go up keeping close to center with some more class 3. The top for hikers is at 24228, 18270. No reg in 2012. I came down the standard route in the easy canyon to the west. 5 hours, 2300 gain. This route only has a few class 3 moves. If it doesn't suit you then you're not going to like what awaits after you join the standard route.
• There is a NW route up Eagletail Peak but a big saddle is in the way. Go south from I-10 on Harquahala Valley Rd for just over 5 miles to Courthouse/Centennial roads. Go west on graded Centennial Road for 7 miles to forks. The main right fork is a pipeline road. Take it for a mile then go left on a crude road for 3 miles and park at N33 26484, W113 19316. Hike the closed road thru a low saddle then at 25905, 18658 veer right to another low saddle at 25471, 18445. Now you can see the notch to aim for to get on the crest. Go thru the notch then turn left and down a little to get in a draw. Take a right fork on bedrock then go up to a point on the ridge at 24494, 18670.DON'T go any higher. Now contour along the right side for 300 feet to a flat spot. The remaining route is visible.You have to drop down a gully for 300 feet to get around cliffs and crags at the big saddle area then connect with the standard route. Hiking time and gain are similar to the south class 3 route.
• EAGLETAIL BUTTE el 2700 is climbed from the same TH as the Eagletail Peak class 3 route. Walk thru a gap at N33 22465, W113 16370. Then go NW along the base of the mountain for 3/5 mile to a main canyon with a good triple arch. A herd of 12 sheep were here with 4 babies. Just go straight up this canyon to the top. The reg is at 23011, 17498. A dam can be seen in the crags at the foot of the north slope. I came down the same canyon along the right side against the cliffs. Below the cliffs I went right thru a saddle to get back to the start. Under 4 hours, 1300 gain. This is the steepest hike on this page.
• EAGLE BM el 3200 is west of Courthouse Rock. Use the same pipeline road as the NW Eagletail Peak route. Go 7 miles west on it to a crude road at N33 30585, W113 23233. Go left for a mile and a quarter to wilderness signs. The route is obvious. Hike to a point in the flats at 29450, 23810. Now head for the peak and don't cross any washes. The high ground will take you to a slope at 28856, 24086. Keep going up into a draw. Use trails on the left side. When the draw goes left get on the right side and follow it up. It helps a lot to get on bedrock at 28689, 24143. Go up until the bedrock fizzles then go up the slope to an easy chute to the left of the summit block. The chute tops out in the open summit area. The reg is at 28595, 24129. 3 hours, 1500 gain. Some light brush. 2wds might have to hike or bike an extra mile each way.
• The INDIAN SPRING PETROGLYPHS are public. Use the same pipeline road as the NW Eagletail Peak route. Go about 4 miles on the pipeline road to a crude road going left. There is a big metal tank on the right about a mile before this turn. Take the crude road for a mile and half to a cable at the end. Hike up the old road past Courthouse Rock. Don't miss a shortcut trail at N33 27636, W113 22478. The petroglyphs are at 26720,23813. They make a horshoe on the rim of the little mesa. Across the wash are more and a golfball pattern. They continue downstream around the corner then end. Another 5 minutes down the wash is a panel on the right with stick men. Some grinding holes are in the wash bottom, some on a flat rock near the main panels. It takes about an hour of easy hiking to get to the panels.